Awaken
by queenmagnus
Summary: A little revision and continuation of the ending of Awakening. What if Nikola was in trouble and the only thing that might save him was Helen's blood?


Picking up where Awakening left off, a little revision and possible continuation. Needed a bit more drama and peril

* * *

Helen opened her eyes wearily, slowly regaining consciousness. The entire cave had exploded around them, taking Afina and her vampire court with it. As Helen made to sit up and look for Nikola she realized how lucky they were to have made it out alive.

"Nikola?"

"Over here."

She gingerly got to her feet and looked about for him. Thankfully he made some more noise to alert her to his location. She saw a leg sticking out from a rock and ran to him. He was completely pinned under a huge boulder, his left arm the only part of him free to move.

"Dear god, Nikola."

He looked at her mischievously but she could see beyond his façade. His was in real pain.

"Can you move it?"

He laughed weakly.

"Do you honestly think I'd still be sitting here like this if I could? No, it appears that, even with my newly restored vampiric abilities, I'm too weak to move it. And unless you got a bottle of your finest animal plasma in your pocket I'm afraid you're going to have to just leave me here."

Helen could not help but roll her eyes at his melodrama. He did have a point though, it was very clear that he was in serious trouble, vampire or not. The radios were gone and it would be some time before she could get help and bring it back for him. Her mind raced for a solution when she thought of something she knew he'd never agree to.

"I have an idea but you're really not going to like it."

"I'm listening."

"Your vampiric abilities are currently weakened because you haven't fed yet, right? And we obviously don't have any animal plasma on hand."

"I don't like where this is going, Helen."

"But there's another option neither one of us would normally ever consider. Something that hasn't happened since Oxford. Right after we injected the source blood."

"No."

"It's the only option, Nikola. It'll be okay. You just need enough to regain your strength and with the unusual properties of my DNA the blood may even enhance your powers greater."

He started shaking his head.

"Helen, I am not drinking your blood."

Helen crouched down so she was closer to him and cupped his face in her hand.

"Nikola. I'm not ready to lose you. Please?"

All banter was gone between them. Nikola could feel himself get weaker. Being a vampire had its perks but even they had their limitations. They had just blown up a hundred vampires as proof of their inherent vulnerabilities. There was a ripping of cloth and the unmistakable scent of human blood filled his nostrils as he watched Helen puncture her wrist on a sharpened rock. His throat burned with thirst and turned his head away from her.

"Helen, please. Don't make me do this."

"It's ok."

"No! You don't understand, once I start I don't know if I can stop. You know how hard it is to stop."

"I trust you."

"Well, you shouldn't."

She turned his head back toward her and kissed him on the cheek. She brought her bloodied wrist to his mouth.

"Drink."

He tried to resist. To turn away. But there was no place for him to go, he was trapped. And she was dangling herself in front of him. With a withering look at her he made the transformation and sunk his pointed teeth into her wrist.

From the very first pull of her blood he felt more alive than he had since they first injected the Source Blood all those years ago. He could his body repairing itself, his senses heightening. She tasted better than he had ever tasted before. Better than the first time. Like a fine vintage, better with time.

He knew he had taken enough, in the part of his brain that was reasonable. But it was his animalistic instinct that was in control now. He needed more. And more. It was only when he felt her go limp that he was snapped back to reality and pulled away.

"Helen?"

She was slumped against the boulder he was stuck on top of, her arming falling limply into her lap. With a jolt of energy gifted to him by Helen's blood he vaulted the boulder off him and sat by her side. He felt clumsily at her neck and was beyond relived to find a too rapid pulse. She was pale, her lips tinged an unnerving blue, but she was alive.

Carefully he scooped her up into his arms, her head lolling helplessly against his chest.

"Just stay with me, Helen, okay?"

He jumped up and down a bit in preparation before he began the trek back to civilization.

* * *

I haven't decided yet if I want to continue the story. Let me know if you'd be interested to see where this might go? Obviously Helen will be fine but how would the others react to Nikola almost killing her?


End file.
